Zambia's electoral body clarifies ban on use of smartphones in polling stations

Zambia's electoral body on Thursday clarified that its decision to ban the use of smartphones inside polling stations was meant to ensure order and secrecy of the voting process.

On Monday, the Electoral Commission of Zambia (ECZ) revealed that smartphones will not be allowed inside polling stations to avoid speculations during the counting of votes because in the past elections people leaked unconfirmed results.

But the announcement has angered stakeholders who felt it was a ploy by the electoral body to rig the August 11 presidential, legislative and local government elections in favor of the ruling party and appealed to the electoral body to rescind the decision.

But Cris Akufuna, the electoral body's public relations manager said the ban on the use of smartphones in polling stations was meant to avoid disturbances during voting and the counting process.

He said in previous elections, the electoral body experienced situations where voters were taking photographs of their marked ballot papers and displacing how they voted on social media.

This, he said, comprised the secrecy of the vote and a sign of campaigning which is prohibited on poll day. Endit